69 km WSW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake — a major event — struck near 69 km WSW of Kirakira, Solomon Islands on December 8, 2016, at a shallow depth of about 40 km. An earthquake this size would have been felt strongly across the surrounding region; shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they tend to cause the strongest shaking and the most damage. A tsunami threat was flagged for this event — large, shallow quakes beneath or near the ocean can lift the seafloor and generate destructive waves. 28 people submitted "Did You Feel It?" shaking reports to the USGS. Casualties, damage and the recovery depend on local building standards, population and distance from the epicentre — the news coverage, references and photos below capture what happened on the ground.